186 SAVAGE SUDAN 



its suddenness awaited. When well within 20 yards we 

 realised that the nearer buffalo was not dead. The great 

 armoured head uprose, and there ensued an awe-inspiring 

 moment when those massive horns swung round directly 

 facing us. No friendly tree now offered shelter and, had 

 the stricken beast been able to regain his legs, we should 

 have been in a false position. By sheer good luck he was 

 too far gone for mischief, and (though the Winchester 



BUFFALO BULLS RIGHT-AND-LEFT. 

 41 Not dead yet." 



again failed to produce the slightest effect) a -375 "solid" 

 at base of neck promptly resolved all doubts. That rifle 

 had put both beasts out of action with a single ball apiece ; 

 nor, as we now saw clearly, had either animal moved 20 

 yards from the point where the first bullet had struck 

 him, though each eventually required a "finisher." 

 A bout with buffalo is always apt to develop nerve- 

 trying situations, and this one proved no exception. We 

 had experienced two distinctly critical moments ; first, 

 when the solitaire crashed down directly upon us, and 

 finally, when we approached our fallen foes only to discover 

 that both were still alive. 



